What is the Onomichi Maritime City Promotion Council?
The history and current state of Onomichi's maritime industry
The history of Onomichi's shipbuilding industry began when a string of shipyards
popped up in the former cities of Innoshima, Mukaishima, and Setoda before World War
II. Amongst them was the Innoshima yard of Osaka Iron Works (now Hitachi Zosen),which began operations in Innoshima. After the war, shipbuilding companies began toexpand in scale, particularly the three core companies of Hitachi Zosen, OnomichiDockyard, and Naikai Zosen. While the withdrawal of Hitachi Zosen's Innoshima yard
from the newbuilding category and other events that occurred during the shipbuilding
slump that occurred between the 1970s and 1980s dealt the industry a severe blow,
overcoming each dip in business only caused the yards to become stronger.
Now, Onomichi has shipbuilding company yards, including dedicated repair yards andshipyards that construct both oceangoing and domestic coastal ships, as well as
multiple marine equipment manufacturers. There are also many shipyards around
Onomichi, including in the neighboring cities of Fukuyama and Mihara, on the islands
along the Shimanami Kaido, and in Imabari, which is across the bridge on the opposite
shore. As a result, there are also many shipbuilding-related corporations in the vicinity,
including manufacturers that fabricate hull blocks, and companies that deploy
contracted workers to shipyards.
As for the shipping industry, both owners of domestic ships and owners of oceangoingvessels that started out with coastal ships have hubs and engage in business from
Onomichi. Another feature is its privately operated crewmember training facility,
Onomichi Marine Institute. As such, Onomichi has more than enough of the basic
elements of a maritime cluster, including shipbuilding, marine equipment, and shippingindustries.

The establishment of the Onomichi Maritime City Promotion Council
The City of Onomichi first looked into promoting the creation of a maritime city using
the special features of the region, including its collection of maritime industries,
historical heritage and culture, and unique maritime-related institutions. Onomichi and
the Chugoku District Transport Bureau set up an office, and established the Onomichi
Maritime City Promotion Council in 2008. In addition to the Chugoku District
Transport Bureau and the City of Onomichi, it also consists of local economic groups,
shipbuilding and shipping industry officials, and educational institutions.

It has three main principles, namely the procurement and training of human resources
for the maritime industry, sustainable development of the maritime industry, andenlightenment of the maritime industry's ideas, and the majority of its activities include
conducting surveys and holding lectures pertaining to the maritime industry, creating
public relations brochures and DVDs, holding offshore seminars, and conducting toursof ship launchings. It has been pointed out that such activities are proving beneficial for
shipbuilding and related businesses, such as in terms of procuring human resources,
due to the increased awareness of Onomichi's shipbuilding and numerous otherindustries.
As for information campaigns, the education board is also lending its participation
apart from the efforts of the Promotion Council by conducting occasional shipyard tours
for elementary and junior high school students.

Onomichi Maritime City Promotion Council – Purpose of Establishment
May, 2008
City of Onomichi
Chugoku District Transport Bureau
The sea, which surrounds our nation on all four sides, plays a tremendously importantrole in both our economic activities and daily lives of our citizens from many
perspectives, including the reliable transport of energy and resources. While our nation
has developed many maritime industries, including shipping, port logistics,
shipbuilding, and marine equipment, the Chugoku region in particular has a highconcentration of such industries, which are extremely important to its local economy.
Within the region, Onomichi in particular has a high concentration of shipbuilding andmarine equipment manufacturing, as well as crewmember training institutions nearby,
making it a unique maritime region.
However, despite the overall excellent condition of the maritime industry in recent
years, there are some concerning elements, such as the sharp price increases in raw
materials and fuel oil. In addition, we are now entering a period of declining birth rates
and an aging population, making for a prominent rise in the age of the labor force andleaving us with the pressing matter of finding young people to take over the next
generation.
Meanwhile, the Basic Act on Ocean Policy enacted in July 2007 stipulates theimportance of making efforts to foster a deeper interest and understanding of the ocean
in the general public. In addition, the consensus of the Human Infrastructure Board
Meeting held by the Transport Policy Chamber's Maritime Subcommittee was thatpriority should be placed on increasing interest in the sea by young people throughpublic relations campaigns depicting the appeal of the sea.
Given these arguments, Onomichi, which is attempting to turn itself into a maritimecity, will need to make a comprehensive effort that includes procuring and training
human resources for maritime and related industries; ensuring sustainable
development of the maritime industry, an important part of the local economy; andoffering enlightenment on the maritime industry's ideas. This Council was establishedto promote the creation of a maritime city that utilizes the unique features of the region
through a partnership between educational institutions, the local economic circle, andmaritime officials, including the Onomichi municipal government and the Chugoku
District Transport Bureau.

Maritime City of Onomichi Promotion Council members
Industry

Onomichi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Innoshima Chamber ofCommerce & Industry, Onomichi Shimanami Commerce & Industry Association
Education

Onomichi City University

Crew education Onomichi Marine Institute (Japan Marine Technical School), Yuge
National College of Maritime Technology
Coastal shipping Federation of Chugoku District Coastal Shipping Association
Passenger ships Onomichi Passenger Boats Association
Shipbuilding

Onomichi Dockyard, Naikai Zosen, Sanwa Dock

Labor union

All Japan Seamen's Union Chu-Shikoku Regional Office, Onomichi

BranchAdministration Chugoku District Transport Bureau's Maritime Department, Ministryof Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism - Onomichi Maritime Office, Innoshima
Maritime Office; Commerce & Industry Division, Industry Department of Onomichi
CityOnomichi Maritime City Promotion Council offices
Chugoku District Transport Bureau's Maritime Department
6-30 Kami-Hatchobori, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima 730-8544
Phone: +81-82-228-3679

Fax: +81-82-228-7309

Commerce & Industry Division, Industry Department of Onomichi City
15-1 Kubo 1-chome, Onomichi City, Hiroshima 722-8501
Phone: +81-848-25-7182

Fax: +81-848-25-7293'Onomichi Maritime City Promotion Council' homepage
http://www.city.onomichi.hiroshima.jp/kaijitoshi